This actor whirls in his wheelchair,
shimmies on his cane, quicksteps
on his feet. In the program,
they/he announce. Openly disabled.
Meet “Jasper, the Wheelchair,”
Meet “Gloria, the Cane.”
I’m transfixed. His grace.
The ease with which his fellow
actors wield his weight
so that on his feet or in his chair
he’s moving. Rhythm.
Magnetism. Attitude.
Nothing to fear but fear itself.
He’s taken FDR’s words to heart.|
But not that iconic president’s dictate:
No audience should see him wheeling.
or bowed and restricted in his chair.
That weakness FDR could not overcome.
All of us salvaging. Our frailties,
anxieties, missing parts,
convinced we’re at our best
when we hide. Our cracks.
Our scars. Our chasms.
In this play, can you
see yourself?
— Elane Gutterman
In her poems, Elane Gutterman often enlivens social issues with personal stories. She is a founding Board member and current Literary Committee Chair of the West Windsor Arts Council. Her first poetry book, Tides of Expectation, was published by Kelsay Books in March, 2022.
